Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to an engine stopping and restarting system, and in particular, a system that automatically stops an engine when the vehicle is stopped and restarts the engine in response to a predetermined condition.
In most conventional vehicles, once the engine is started, it does not stop unless the driver turns off the ignition switch. When the vehicle is temporarily stopped, for example, while waiting at traffic lights, the engine continues to consume fuel as it idles. Because the vehicle is stopped, the engine does not need to operate during these temporary stops. Thus, the engine's consumption of fuel during these temporary stops is wasteful.